Southwest CultureFest in Swift Current, Aug. 26, 2017

The penultimate Southwest CultureFest, a series of free bi-weekly events in southwest Saskatchewan to celebrate Canada 150 and cultural diversity in the province, took place at the Lyric Theatre in Swift Current, Aug. 26. This event featured a Bengali song and dance show with singer Jebunnessa Chapola and three dancers, as well as a performance by Iraqi-Canadian spoken word and hip-hop artist Ahmad Majid. Chapola was born in Bangladesh and has been living in Saskatoon for the past six years, where she is a doctoral student in women’s and gender issues while she is also an activist, radio host and singer. Her performance in Swift Current highlighted Bengali musical traditions and the poetic songs of Rabindranath Tagore. Ahmad Majid of Saskatoon is a second-generation Iraqi-Canadian. He uses his poetry and music to address important social and human rights issues. The final event in this festival series takes place at the Lyric Theatre on Sept. 9. It will include a Filipino cultural showcase as well as other performances. Admission is free and the show starts at 7 p.m.